In Psychology Today, there was an article about Beyond Happiness: Why a Psychologically Rich Life Is a Good Life. It presents an alternative to a happy life: a psychologically rich life. A psychologically rich life includes variety, interest, and perspective changes. A psychologically rich person is curious, open to experience, and experiences emotions intensely, both positive and negative. They value personal growth, autonomy, self-acceptance, purpose, and positive relations. 

To understand the difference, they described what people might say on their deathbeds: 

• People who led happy lives might say, “I had fun!”

• People who led meaningful lives might say, “I made a difference!”

• People who led psychologically rich lives would instead say, “What a journey!”

Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in his book You Are Here that flowers and garbage are both organic. The flower will decompose and turn into garbage. He said, “You are a gardener, and you have in your hands the power to transform garbage into flowers, into fruit, into vegetables. You don’t throw anything away, because you are not afraid of garbage.” No matter what happens in our lives, no matter what we feel or what we experience, nothing is wasted. We can transform our experiences—good, bad, and everything in-between — into a rich, meaningful life. We should embrace it all as it is. 

Dr. Nobuo Haneda of the Maida Center of Buddhism, also wrote about garbage in his essay What is ‘Happiness’ in Buddhism. The goal is to move beyond a self-centered conception of happiness. Dr. Haneda suggests that one needs to encounter the bodhisattva spirit of Dharmakara to forget about self-centeredness. For Shinran Shonin, founder of Jōdo Shinshū, this was Hōnen, Shiran’s teacher. Dr. Haneda compares Shinran’s world of self-love and self-centeredness to living in a garbage can. Nothing smells good in a garbage can. You need to open the garbage can and get fresh air. For Shinran, the fresh air was Hōnen. 

I believe Buddhism helps me pursue a psychologically rich life. Listening to the Dharma and practicing with a sangha are ways to let the fresh air into our personal garbage cans. But it is not a one-and-done situation. It is an ongoing, life-long commitment for those seeking a meaningful and psychologically rich life. 

I also do not think living a psychologically rich life precludes us from fleeting encounters with happiness. Who would say no to those? Rather, this perspective change—embracing the psychologically rich—can help us stay present, aware, and grateful for the full spectrum of experiences in our lives.